(096) Promoting Menopausal Sexual Health Through an Education Module; A Pilot Study

Abstract Introduction Menopause is a period marked by an increase in sexual dysfunction. Particularly, decreased libido, dyspareunia, and anorgasmia are all recognized as symptoms of menopause. Despite the prevalence and impact of menopause in sexual health, many patients feel unprepared for this transition. To address this issue, we developed an online module to educate patients about menopause, ignite purposeful provider-patient conversations, and enhance engagement with treatment options. Objective This before and after pilot study evaluates the usefulness of an online menopause educational module as a clinical tool. Methods This study was IRB-approved. This education module describes the physiology of menopause, common symptoms, and possible treatments. Women were recruited from ob/gyn and family practice outpatient clinics. 30 women aged 43-58 interacted with the module and their feedback was surveyed. Participants rated their knowledge at baseline and after viewing the module using a six-point ordinal scale (0 = “no knowledge” to 5 = “full knowledge”). Participants indicated the usefulness of the module on the same six-point ordinal scale and with qualitative short answer questions. The Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire (MENQOL) was completed by participants before viewing the module and one month post. Results Compared to the pre-education response, MENQOL scores particularly declined (an improvement) for the sexual construct (b = -0.66, 95% CI: -1.30 to -0.02; p = .04). There was no change in the psychosocial, physical, vasomotor, or overall scores. On the six-point ordinal scale score, the median knowledge score was 3 (IQR: 3-4) before viewing the education module and improved by about 1-point following exposure to the module (Mdn = 4, IQR: 4-4; p 0.001). Participants overall found the education module to be very useful (Mdn = 5, IQR: 4-5 on a 5-point ordinal scale). 23% indicated they learned new information about menopause symptoms and 30% indicated that they learned new information about treatment options. Conclusions These findings indicate that symptoms of sexual health may improve by educating patients about menopause. Although our module educated participants on all the symptoms of menopause, we notice the most improvement in the sexual construct. These findings are encouraging and suggest an online menopause module can improve patient knowledge and may be highly relevant for clinical use. Disclosure No.